Chipped Black Nail Polish
by the fourth drink instinct
Summary: Bella Swan just wanted a Summer job, but she got a whole lot more, in the form of her boss’s son. EB/AU/AH.
1. Dazzled

Okay so this is my first every _Twilight _story (Weird title, I know((Blush))) and I am so nervous to post this(: I've only ever written for _One Tree Hill _(Nathan/Haley) So hopefully I did okay:) It's AH/AU and probably OOC at times.

Disclaimer--Sadly I don't own Twilight, it belongs to the amazingly talented Goddess, known as Stephenie Meyer.

_**-**__-_

A guy and a girl _can be __**just**__ friends, but at one point or another __**one**__ of them will fall for the other, maybe temporarily, maybe at the __wrong__ time, maybe too late or maybe, just maybe, __**forever.**_

_-__**-**_

_-_

_-_

_**O**__wwee._

I bit my lip to stop from crying out as I banged my knee on the edge of one of the many tables around the café. They were all pretty evenly spaced out, but of course _I _would walk into one.

Trying my best to hide the discomfort I was currently feeling in my leg I made my way over to the table of people that had just come in-limping the whole way.

Putting on my best smile I took out my notepad, pen at the ready, "What can I get you?" I asked politely, despite the throbbing on my lower thigh.

"A few more minutes." The blonde haired girl told me, rudely, I might add. _Bitch_.

All her little friends snickered behind their menus.

"Sure." I locked my jaw, turning on my heel I made my way behind the counter, gripping the pen in my hand so tightly I thought I heard a _snap_.

_Stupid Lauren Mallory._

"Bella?" My head turned reflexively at the sound of my name been called, and I couldn't stop the smile crawling onto my lips.

"Are you okay Sweetheart? You look like you just ate a sour lemon." Esme joked with a genuine smile on her face.

Despite having to deal with snotty Lauren Mallory I loved my job, because I had the _best_est boss in the _world_. Seriously. Esme had moved to town just a little over a month ago with her family, she'd bought this small café and had it up and running within two weeks of been in Forks. Some would call her crazy, giving clumsy Bella Swan a job but I thought she was the kindest person ever.

"I'm fine." I smiled, releasing my death grip on my pen and pad, setting them onto the low counter.

"I really don't like that girl." She spoke, her eyes trained on the fake blonde in the booth, her cackle could break glass. I was sure of it.

"That makes two of us." I agreed. Maybe I could _accidentally_ spill their drinks over them? I mean, I am naturally clumsy, no one would think for a second I had done it on purpose…

"How about you take your lunch break early?" Esme offered, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I was about to decline, knowing the lunch rush would be in soon but as I heard another _cackle_ from across the café I nodded my head, thanking Esme with a smile as I walked through to the kitchen.

Truth be told Esme was the only reason I had stuck with this job, it was just a way to get some extra cash over the Summer-at first. Then after working for her I simply couldn't bring myself to quit, she told me that her sons were going to help her out once school started up again (much to my dismay, it was only a couple of days away). I'd never met her them, only her husband. Carlisle. The first time I saw him I nearly keeled over, he was _gorgeous_. But so was Esme, I couldn't even _begin_ to imagine what they're three sons must look like. I closed my eyes then, feeling insensitive, despite never meeting her boys Esme had explained to me that they were adopted, and that she couldn't have children. She was so trusting. See why I cant quit?

"Bella!"

My head snapped up at the chirpy voice, a tiny body coming barrelling toward my own.

_Oomph_.

"Oops." Giggle. "I missed you!" She squealed, her arms wrapping around me the best they could as we were both sprawled out on the floor.

I couldn't help but laugh, her giddy-ness was infecting. "How was Australia?" I asked, both of us getting up from the ground.

"Amazing." She grinned, and then started gushing about everything she'd done on her holiday, and what she'd seen. _Boys. Ocean. Boys. Kangaroos. Boys. _

"Sounds great." I grinned, then wrapped my arms around her again, "God I missed you Alice, never leave me that long again."

She laughed, lifting her pinkie finger out to me. "_Pro_mise."

I wrapped my pinkie around hers, both of us giggling. "Go_od_."

"So this is the place, huh?" Alice said, taking a look around, "I like it, and the brown haired lady, is that Esme? Oh my God! No wonder you couldn't quit! She is so nice…"

I smiled again as Alice broke into another long ramble.

I really had missed her.

_**-**__-_

_Five, four, three, two, one…_

Quitting time. I grinned while taking off my apron, the last couple of hours had been _dead_ in the café, so I'd offered to close up, letting Esme go home early. Despite her protests I could see she'd wanted to get home to her family, she'd been putting a lot of extra work into the business, getting it up and running and now that it was doing good she deserved a break.

And now I deserved a break.

Alice had gone home just after lunch, but reminded me about out shopping trip tomorrow. Imagine going to school in the same close as last year? The _horror_. I laughed quietly, Alice and her melodramatics.

A soft jingle brought me from my thoughts, looking up I assumed the last customers to leave hadn't shut the door right and the wind blew in, making the bell ring.

Oh how wrong I was.

It wasn't the wind, oh no, but a _Greek God _like creature. Only more beautiful.

I felt my heart stutter in my chest as he closed to glass door, his bronze hair ruffled due to the breeze and slightly damp because of the rain.

He looked like a male model, modelling a new line of raincoats.

"Hello."

_**Thu-u-u-mpp. **_My heart missed a few beats, his voice was smooth, like velvet. And rich, like chocolate.

I was sure I looked like an idiot, my mouth half open, my apron half way over my head.

But I simply couldn't form words.

"I was just wondering if Esme was still here?"

"N-no." I cleared my throat, finally finding my voice. "She went home about an hour ago."

"Oh okay, well thank you anyway."

I never thought I'd seen anyone as unbelievably gorgeous as him, until he smiled.

_Oh my God._

His lip pulled up slightly to the side, into a crooked grin.

Was the room spinning? Oh oops. _Breathe Bella_.

I tried my best to smile back, and breathe at the same time. And since it took all my concentration to remember to breathe it wasn't an easy task.

He nodded once and with a small wave he was gone. Just like that.

Leaving me dazzled.

-_**-**_

My old Chevy truck groaned in protest as I pulled up at my house.

My boots _squelch_ed and _slosh_ed on the muddy grass as I walked up to the front door, my apron was covering my head, a makeshift umbrella.

Sighing in relief as I got into the house I hung up my jacket, shaking my hair like a dog, despite my attempts to keep it dry I always failed.

"Hey Bells." My Dad greeted me from his spot on the couch, I could hear the sounds of a baseball game been played on the TV. _What else? _I thought. "Good day at work?"

A Slow smile spread onto my lips, "Yeah," I replied. Coming face to face with the guy of my dreams? "It was okay."

_**- **__-_

Thou**ghts**?(:


	2. Day Dreaming

Okay, _wo_-ow, thank you all so much for the kind words(: and reviews, and sorry for making you wait for an update, but here it is and I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Twilight_, it belongs to the amazingly talented Goddess, known as Stephenie Meyer and I don't own the songs used in this chapter, they belong to the _awesome_nesss that is _**All Time Low**_.

_**__**_

_**C**__areful… careful… _

"Yeah." I rolled my eyes, "Yes Alice, it's all laid out." I promised, not taking my eyes off the pinkie finger I was painting. I sighed, "Alice, listen. All my clothes are ready for tomorrow." _Lie._ What? It was just a little fib. Plus, they were all still neatly folded in the shopping bags I'd bought them in yesterday. I knew exactly where they were too, I thought with a small smirk. _At the bottom of my closet_.

I nodded my head while listening to my best friend, telling me about the _cute_st boy she'd seen today at the Sporting Goods store. I was about to ask why she was even at a sport's shop but I decided against it.

I felt my heart beat at an unhealthily fast rate as my meeting with… that _Adonis, _suddenly flashed through my mind.

His crooked grin.

His devilished bronze hair.

His velvet voice.

"_Oh okay, well thank you anyway.__"_

His-

"_**Bella!"**_

I jumped as Alice's loud screech nearly burst my eardrum, "Shoot!" I examined my hand, a large black line across three of my fingers. "Alice! You made me paint my hand!" I grumbled at her.

"Yeah well you weren't listening, day dreaming, _again _Bella?" She teased me, and I felt a blush rising on my cheeks.

I hadn't told Alice about my meeting with…whatshisname, but she'd caught me zoning out the past couple of days on absolutely nothing, but my mind was filled with _him_. Thank God she couldn't see what I was thinking.

"No." I said, grabbing the nail varnish remover from my dresser, pouring some onto a tissue before wiping it over my marked skin, smiling as it instantly disappeared.

"Uh huh." I could _practically_ hear the grin on her face.

"So what did this guy look like?" I asked, hoping to distract her.

"Oh Bella, he was _gorgeous_…"

I grinned while listening to her babble on, there was _no way _he was as gorgeous as Café Boy.

_**-**__-_

_Knock knock._

Groaning quietly I buried my head further into my pillow, trying to block out the incessant knocking.

"C'mon Bells." I heard Charlie say, actually it was more like shouting, did he have to be _so_ loud? "Time to get up."

I mumbled something I didn't even understand and curled my duvet tighter around myself. No way was I leaving the warmth of my bed. Not until I absolutely _had_ to.

My dad chuckled, "You don't want to be late for school on your first day."

"Shouldn't you be at work?" I grumbled at him, not even opening my eyes while I spoke to him. "My alarm hasn't even gone off yet." Morning person I was not.

_**BEEP BEEP**_

I groaned, wanting nothing more than to turn over and go back to sleep, but I knew Charlie wasn't going to go away until I got up, so with a scowl I pulled myself along the mattress.

_**BEEP BE-**_

I smacked my alarm, stopping the annoying beeping and I finally dragged myself out of my bed, despite my body screaming at me to go back. I was instantly freezing as my feet hit the hardwood floor, I scowled at Charlie as I walked past him but he simply smiled in return, the kind of smile that showed me why my Mum fell for him. One that crinkled the corner of his eyes.

"I'm up, now go away." I grumbled and he ruffled my hair before going down the stairs.

_Stupid Charlie and his stupid I love morning's smile._

-_**-**_

"…_well they can take take take the kids from the summer but they'll never never never take the summer from me, it was the very first time that I lost my mind for a week…"_

"Oh, hi Charlie." I was just brushing my newly dried hair when I heard Alice's chirpy voice from downstairs. Charlie loved Alice, he thought she was the sweetest girl ever and was instantly smitten when he first met her.

I heard her ballet dancer like steps take the stairs two at a time.

She groaned, "_Again_ with the music." But smiled teasingly at me.

I rolled my eyes but grinned, turning up one of my favourite songs and then we both sang together.

"…_they can make make make me forget the weather if they'll never never never wash the sand from my feet, it was the very last time that we said goodbye to the beach…"_

We both broke into a fit of giggles, landing on my unmade bed with a bounce.

"So what're you doing here? Not that I'm complaining." I said, earning myself a light elbow to the ribs.

"Well, I just thought since this is our first day of _senior_ year," She stood up, walking over to my closet, "we should arrive in style." She winked, coming back over to me with pair of pumps but I shook my head and lifted up my feet, wiggling my dirty black converse at her. She made a face, "One day Bella swan, one day." Alice grinned.

I laughed sitting up, "I only have them shoes because of you." I said, she'd told me that I had no girls' shoes, and if you looked in my closet you'd think I was a boy. I didn't care, I loved my trainers, they were comfy. "Hey." I spoke suddenly, her words just sinking in. "There is _nothing_ wrong with my truck." I defended my old red Chevy truck sitting in the driveway outside, I always felt a need to protect it, it was my _baby_. And my very first car.

"Yeah." Alice said, a '_whatever you say' _tone to her voice. "You know I love your truck Bella, it's just, it's really slow."

"It is not." I protested even though I knew it was true, I'd never tried going 60miles an hour and I never planned to, the poor thing would probably blow up. "Anyway, not everyone loves to drive at 100 miles per hour."

Alice simply grinned, grabbing my hand and pulling me up, "Okay lets go," she picked up my bag and slid it over her shoulder on our way out of my room.

"I can walk, ya know." I said as we walked down the stairs. "And carry my own schoolbag."

"Yeah, but knowing you, the way only a best friend can." She shot me her very best grin, "You fall over air, and adding extra weight to that would only make your balance worse." She danced out of my reach, so I couldn't hit her for her comments so I settled with sticking my tongue out instead, receiving the same gesture from Alice.

"Where's Charlie?" I wondered aloud as I walked into the kitchen, grabbing a piece of fruit from the bowl on the kitchen table.

"He left for work when I came in." Alice told me, perching herself on the counter.

"Oh, okay." I said while taking my bag from her, looking inside. "Oh no, no _no_." I groaned, searching again inside it. (Ignoring the dust and crumbs I found)

"What?" The pixie stuck her nose in front of my face.

"My Biology book," I explained, having one last half hearted look before giving up, "I left it in Charlie's cruiser."

Alice shrugged, "and..?"

"Well I have Biology _today_." I exaggerated the word, sending her a sly grin. "So I'll have to go by the station to get it," My grin grew slightly, Alice hated to be late on the first day. The side of her lips turned down slightly. "I guess I could take my truck and meet you at school?" I offered, grinning at her.

Bella-1. Alice-0.

She sighed with a frown, hating not getting her way. "Fine." She grumbled, hoping onto the floor, but you wouldn't have thought she'd moved at all since she never made a sound. (But if it was me I'd be on my butt on the floor)

Stupid light as a feather Pixie.

- _

I turned up the heating in my truck, rubbing my hands together to try and get warm. It's _freez_ing. But it's Forks, and Forks doesn't do sun. Actually it doesn't do nice weather in general.

Looking at the time on my iPod I sighed, enough stalling, time to get it over with.

"…_He woke up from dreaming and put on his shoes, started making his way past two in the morning he hasn't been sober for days…"_

I nodded my head slightly to the song, singing quietly under my breath, I couldn't sing for my life, but I could sing for fun. As long as no one could hear me, of course.

"…_Leaning now, into the breeze remembering Sunday he falls to his knees they had breakfast together, but two eggs don't last like the feeling of what he needs…"_

I grabbed my schoolbag, now filled with my Biology book, along with the few others I doubt I'll need.

Charlie had simply chuckled when I'd turned up, and shook his head with a small grin. "Oh Bells."

I didn't see what was so funny.

"…_now this place seems familiar to him, she pulled on his hand with a devilish grin she led him upstairs, she led him upstairs, left him dying to get in…"_

Making my way towards the school I watched my feet, taking my time to put one in front of the other, it's very easy for me to get mixed up.

"…_Forgive me I'm trying to f-"_

"Oomph." I let out a gasp of air as the breath was knocked out of my lungs. Before my butt could make contact with the icy ground something caught me, a pair of arms, to be more precise.

I managed to open my eyes after managing to steady myself. But the breath _whoosh_ed from my lungs yet again, yet this time it was for a completely different reason. Two piercing green eyes staring down at me, two _familiar_ green eyes.

_Breath_.

I reminded myself, then when I realised his arms were still wrapped around my waist I felt light headed all over again, his touch heating up my already burning body. He seemed to realise too and removed them, leaving me feeling strangely cold.

"Sorry." He apologised, that damned crooked grin on his unbelievably gorgeous face. The cold had his cheeks slightly flushed, and his eyes were sparkling with amusement. "Are you okay?" He asked, and I suddenly remembered he was talking to me.

"Oh, uh," I cleared my throat, "Y-yeah, sorry." I smiled, my embarrassment making my cheeks flush redder than they already were. "I wasn't watching where I was going." I explained.

He chuckled. _Oh_ God.

"It's okay," He grinned, bending down and when he stood back up my black iPod was in his hands, I didn't even notice I'd dropped it. "All Time Low." He said, looking at the song I was listening to, nodding his head, "Good band." He handed it back to me. "I can forgive you, since you were listening to such great music."

I felt my lips pull into a grin, my heart stuttering slightly as his hands brushed over mine for a second.

"Hopefully I'll see you in class, Bella Swan." With one last breathtaking smile in my direction he was gone, his devilished bronze hair ruffled even more by the wind.

God I fancy him.

_**_**_**-**

Eughgh… _Biology_.

Twisting my head phones around my iPod I slide it into my bag, before putting it under the table. I move in my stool uncomfortably, why can they never get soft chairs? It's always the bloody hard ones that are so uncomfy you can't sit fecking still.

Feeling a vibration in my jeans(haha) I slide my phone out of my pocket, Mr Banners not even hear yet, and I smile as I see a text from Alice.

**Bloody hate geo. Having fun? Haha(: last class, YAY! U working tnite? xxx**

I reply:

**Sadly yes, lol. 4-8, fancy cumin round? Text ya after I'm finished, or u could cum in and c me(: hehe xxx**

I tapped my fingers on the desk, bored as a few more people entered the class.

**Sounds good(: gotta go, Mr C watchin me, arse. Love ya xxx**

I laughed quietly, putting my phone back into my pocket I got out my books and a pen, and absentmindedly tapped it on the desk. After a few seconds my eyes were suddenly drawn to the door, as if a magnetic force was pulling my sight that way. And then I saw why. Greek God alert.

Phoawr.

I should look away, I _really_ should but I can't. Okay this is ridiculous, never in my seventeen years have I ever been so attracted to someone, and I don't even know his bloody name! Ridiculous.

But… I raked my eyes up and down his body, a snug fitted black jumper hugged his muscular chest, and I repeat. Phoawr.

His eyes suddenly connected with mine and I froze for a moment, feeling my whole body just stop, and everything disappeared. It's just him, and me. Us. I shake my head, looking away. For _fuck's_ sake.

I looked around the class, trying to get my heart rate back to normal and my eyes widened a little, and I look around again. The only seat left is next to… have a guess… me.

"Hello." My head snapped up at his velvet voice, and he's smiling down at me then his mouths moving.

_Wow_… did he just say something?

"Sorry?" I managed.

His smile widened, "Do you mind if I sit here?" He asked.

_Well I can't exactly say no can I? _

_And why the hell would you want to?_

"No, of course not." I told him, showing my teeth in a smile.

He took the seat beside mine and I have no idea what to do. Do I make small talk? Do I just stay quiet?

Thank god Mr Banner walked in and he takes a look around the class before taking his seat.

He takes the register.

"Zoe Brinton?"

"Here."

"Joey Clark."

"Here."

"Edward Cullen."

"Here."

… _sorry_?

I turn my head to the side as the voice that just answered came from the boy sitting beside me. _Cullen? _

I roll it around in my head, where have I heard it before? _Where_?

Cullen, Cullen…

Oh no. No no no no no.

I steal another glance at him.

Cullen! Edward Cullen! My bosses freckin son! That's how he knew my name! I work for his mom! _Oh my god_.

"You're Esme's son?" I question him, a little annoyed that he never told me the other night when he came into the café. Why I'm annoyed he didn't? No idea.

"Yeah." Edward flashed a grin at me. "And you're Isabella Swan."

"Bella." I corrected, trying not to shiver at the way my name rolled off his tongue.

He nodded, his green eyes sparkling. "Looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of each other." He smiled.

Was he… _flirting_ with me?

No, no no. What a stupid thought.

"Oh yeah?" I tried to sound indifferent while the butterflies in my stomach were doing loops.

"Well, seen as we're sitting beside each other, and I'm working at the café now with my brothers…" Edward trailed off, opening his notebook.

_It was a rhetorical question. _I wanted to say, but I didn't.

I turn and tried to pay attention the class, but I can't, I can't sit still.

Not with him next to me, making my heart bloody stop and my breath hitch in my throat every five friggin minutes.

-

-

-

_So__**…?**_


	3. Clumsy&Clyde

Okay so you all probably want to kill me, and I really don't blame ya(: haha, I am so sorry for the long wait but I actually have a good reason, my computer crashed, it just would not work and now the internet still isn't fully working, it's weird, I can only get onto FF. Weird, right? Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, and who has seen the Twilight movie? I am so jealous of you, seriously, I live in Scotland so I have to wait until the _19th of December _*Tear.*

_._

_Clumsy&Clyde_

.

.

**H**earing a very impolite "Excuse me" I automatically stood up, wincing as I banged my head on the cabinet door _someone_ had left open. And by someone I meant one of _them_.

I looked around the café, searching for one and my eyes narrowed as I found _it_.

Emmet Cullen.

Edward Cullen.

Jasper Cullen.

The current bane of my existence.

Well maybe not so much Jasper, he was actually really nice, helping me whenever I dropped something or catching something _before_ I dropped it. Cullen boys have very quick reflexes.

But Emmet was…_Grr_… I looked away, closing the cabinet before I bent back down to the floor, picking up the broken plate. It was _all_ Emmet's fault. Since the first time we'd met-a week ago, when they started working here- he realised I blushed, at almost anything, so now he's made it his duty to make me blush. At least fifty times a day. So he'd caught me staring at… _someone_ and had sneaked up behind me and whispered in my ear, "Checkin' out my brother, Bell?" And then I'd dropped the plate I was holding, it smashing into a million pieces on the hard tile floor. I'm going to have to buy Esme a whole new set of crockery.

And Edward…well, he was too Goddamn good looking for his own good. And my sanity. But I was getting better, I could talk to him now without sounding like a complete moron. Only half of one.

But-again-it wasn't completely my fault I was so accident prone around him (more so than usual) because sometimes, when I'd turn around or just look up I'd find _him_ staring at _me_. Edward Cullen staring at me, Bella Swan. But before I did my usual flaming face and quickly look away I'd catch his own slightly red tinted cheeks. Him, embarrassed, it was crazy. Now I'm not conceited, I honestly did catch him staring at me, plus Alice had told me before, _'Hey, that one with the messy hair is looking at you' _on the many times she came in, but not to see me. Oh no, she was crushing on the blonde gentleman that was Jasper Cullen. And I couldn't say I blamed her.

All three of them were heartbreakingly gorgeous.

Oh, and my boss' son's.

"Excuse me!"

My head snapped up again, remembering the reason for my throbbing head in the first place was the very rude customer who'd already shouted me.

"Sorry." I apologised quickly, standing behind the counter again, putting on my best fake smile and asking, "what can I get you?"

"A refill." She spoke snottily, all but throwing her mug at me.

I glared at the side of her face as she turned her nose up at me and I lifted the teapot and poured another cup for her. _Rude cow_.

Handing it back to her I would have much rather thrown it, but I don't think that would help Esme's business much so I refrained, sending her a big smile with an, "enjoy your meal."

I took a deep breath.

_In._

_Out._

"You should have thrown it at her."

I whipped around, almost loosing my balance as the velvety voice sent a slow shiver down my spine.

"Sorry?" I _swear_ he could read my mind sometimes.

Edward chuckled, wiping his hands on his apron, which by the way he made look exceptionally sexy. "The tea, you should have thrown it at her. She asked me earlier if I'd ever taken an order before because I was taking so long." He rolled his eyes. "I hadn't even asked her what she wanted!" He exclaimed and I laughed which he grinned at and I realised that's why he'd said it, to make me laugh. _Heart failure…_

He cleared his throat as it suddenly went silent between us.

"So em, did you go to the Halloween party Jessica had last week?" I asked him, turning back to the counter and sorting it out, just so my hands had something else to do rather than touch him.

"Nah, couldn't find a costume." I could hear the smile in his voice, "you?"

"Yeah, Alice dragged me." I laughed.

"Oh cool, what'd you go as?" I turned back to answer him and suddenly realised how close we were and my whole body turned to jell-o and the glass in my hand that I was about to put back into the kitchen fell from my now jelly-like hands, dropping to the floor with a loud _crash_.

Oh god. I am _so_ fired.

"Bella, are you okay?" I and _every_one else heard Esme call from the back and a blush formed up my neck and crawled onto my cheeks and Emmet's loud booming laugh came from the table he was currently serving.

"Yeah." Was my squeak of a reply. "Sorry." I muttered quickly to Edward, dropping to the floor and started to pick up the broken glass. I felt tears prickle at my eyes in frustration, why couldn't I be near him without making a complete idiot of myself?

"It's fine, just not your day, huh?" From the nearness of his voice I could tell he'd bent down to help me. Always the gentleman.

I shook my head.

"Maybe I should have gone to the party?" I looked up at his face, my favourite crooked grin on his lips. "We could have gone as Bonnie and Clyde. Except instead of Bonnie you could have been Clumsy."

Despite myself I felt a slow smile spread onto my lips and I smacked his upper arm with my hand that was not full of glass. "Shut up."

"No seriously, we would have been awesome." Edward nodded with a cheeky grin, picking up another shard of glass. "_Awe_some."

I shook my head but kept the smile on my face and a small laugh escaped.

"Clumsy and Clyde." I muttered, standing up but before my knees could even lift off the ground my head connected with the bottom of the underside of the counter and I was back on the floor with an _oomph_.

"Oh, shit. Bella, are you okay?" I heard a small clatter of glass onto the floor and then two cold hands grab my shoulders.

_I am now._

"I'm fine." I told him, then I laughed. And none of that small giggling I mean full blown stomach cramping snorting embarrassingly kind of laughing.

Taking a deep breath, I wiped a couple of the tears that had sneaked out from the corners of my eyes and looked up at Edward, but when I saw him looking at me, like I was crazy I doubled over again, having to grab my stomach as it started to ache.

"Oh god," I breathed in, a few giggles escaping. "Sorry."

Sexy chuckle. "Don't be." Oh_ my_… "c'mon," His hands moved from my shoulders-I was surprised they'd stayed there during my little fit-and to my waist, helping me up. While he was graceful I stumbled and his grip on me tightened. Maybe being clumsy wasn't _such_ a bad thing?

-x-

"Quittin' time."

Already? I looked at the clock above the door, wow, it was as Emmet so eloquently put it, _quittin' time_.

"Finally." Jasper groaned, rubbing his lower back. "I swear I'm going to be a wheelchair before I'm twenty." He muttered, wincing as his fingers worked at the muscles on his back.

I couldn't help but crack a smile.

"Well don't worry, Bella will probably be in one before you." Emmet announced, giving me a smirk, "with her co-ordination skills she's bound to end up in hospital soon enough."

My smile turned into a glower.

"Shut up, Emmet." Edward said from his spot beside the older Cullen, punching him in the shoulder jokingly.

"Thank you, Edward." I smiled at him after sticking my tongue out at Emmet. He returned my smile with a inhumanly gorgeous crooked one of his own, making my breathing stop and my heart rate pick up.

_Breathe_. I reminded myself before going back to the task at hand.

Picking up a few empty plates from a table I carried them to the sink and dropped them in, laughing a little at Edwards huff. "More, seriously?"

"Sadly." I had to turn my head away from his eyes, they really were a dazzling emerald green and even as cliché as it sounds I could feel myself getting lost in them.

"Bella." I turned my head at the sound of my voice been called coming face to face with Esme. "Why don't you take off?" She asked with a kind smile, "you've had a…long day." She laughed and it sounded like wind chimes and I knew she was referring to all of my accidents. A lot more than usual.

I started to shake my head but she interrupted me, "don't say you're fine, because the bandage on your hand and the bump on your head say otherwise."

I felt my cheeks heat up as I unconsciously ran my fingers over the white material wrapped around my palm, after Edward helped me off the ground I'd managed to cut my hand while picking up the pieces of glass and the bump on my head, well you can probably work out how I got that.

"Come on," Esme had already untied my apron and had it off my head, "you've been working late these past few weeks and locking up for me, letting my go home to my family so I think I should return the favour." Her voice was persuasive and I found myself with my jacket already on and buttoned.

"Thank you," I smiled at her, "but I have to wait for Alice, she dropped me off and she's picking me up." I explained.

"Alice is coming?" Jasper asked, clearing his throat afterwards, shrugging. "Cool."

I bit back a grin, and Alice thought he didn't notice her?

"I'll take you."

My head whipped around to the velvet voice, my heart beating at an unhealthy rate and I was sure if I got into a car, in such a confined space with him it might stop, for good.

But despite that fact I found myself saying "Okay" and watched as he dried his hands on the dishcloth he was using.

"You just want out of washing dishes." Emmet grumbled good naturedly ruffling Edward's hair as he walked past, chuckling at the glare he through his way.

"Drive safe." Esme told her son, smiling as he kissed her cheek.

"Promise." He through her a charming grin, one which made my head feel slightly dizzy. He turned to me, the same grin on his lips, "ready?"

I didn't trust my voice at that moment so I simply nodded, waving at the Cullen family as I walked out of the café with the youngest one right behind me, in touching distance…

And also in catching distance, I was so wrapped up in my Edward filled thoughts that I didn't notice the crack in the road, and the ground was just starting to look vertical when someone caught me, setting me on my feet.

"Thanks." I muttered, feeling a blush rise on my cheeks as I heard Emmet's booming laugh form inside the café.

"It's alright, _Bonnie_." His smirk turned into a full grin as he opened the door of a shiny silver Volvo for me.

Despite the even deeper red colouring my cheeks I glared at him with 'humph' "I thought it was Clumsy?" I glowered but his grin simply grew.

He winked, sending the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy, and I sighed, knowing I wasn't going to get a reply and slid into the car.

He got into the drivers side, turning on the heating and the radio.

"Warm enough?" Edward asked me while turning the keys in the ignition.

Rubbing my hands together, trying to create some friction I nodded, "getting there." With a smile and he chuckled.

"So," I began, "you like Forks?" I questioned him, turning to look at his angels face.

Edward's lips twitched, "yeah, but I've gotta say I've got a preference to spoons."

I couldn't stop the snort that was emitted from me and I shook my head, "funny." I muttered at him.

His smirk was twice the size of mine, "I thought so."

Another quiet laugh broke from my throat, I watched as the drops of rain outside the car turned into flakes of snow.

"Seriously." I smiled.

Edward chuckled, "I'm sure I can find a reason to stay." His green eyes twinkled with amusement as he looked at my face, which I could feel heating up.

Taking a deep breath I turned to face back out the window when something caught my eye, "Holy cow!" I exclaimed, my hands unconsciously tightening on my seatbelt. "Slow down!"

His eyes flashed to the speedometer and then rolled to the heavens.

"Edward." My voice sounded slightly panicked, even to my own ears.

With a sigh the car slowed slightly.

"Thank you." I told him, why hadn't I driven myself to work today? "Do you always drive like a maniac?"

"I wasn't even at 90."

_90_, I scoffed. My truck only reaches sixty, and even that was a struggle.

Looking out the window I suddenly remembered, "you have no idea where I live."

Slowly a sheepish grin grew on Edward Cullen's lips.

Rolling my eyes I laughed, pointing out into the cold dark night, "take a left at this next turn."

"Yes ma'am."

-x-


	4. Hazard Zone

Thank all of you so much for the reviews, each one made me squeal, sad I know, but they make my day(: sorry for the wait but I was going to update last Friday but stupid Christmas shopping got in the way and then I got all worked up because I ended up coming home with hardly anything and now its two weeks until Christmas and I'm _still_ not finished. _Eugh_, it is so annoying. And anyway I'm sick, so you can't be mad(: hehe, okay now on with the show. Err, I mean chapter… Oh, and I promise a lot more BE next chap, and Rosalie should be making an appearance(:

-x-

"Eeek!"

It took me a second to realise that the loud squeal came from me, and I held up my Biology folder as a shield, protecting myself from anymore blindingly fast balls of snow headed towards me.

The booming laugh from across the parking lot told me _exactly_ who had thrown it.

Peaking around the side of my binder I glared at the three boys standing by the stupid shiny silver Volvo.

Emmet merely grinned wickedly at me, holding something in his hands, and it looked an awful lot like snow, been moulded between his glove clothed hands.

Just when I was considering my chances of running across the parking lot with out falling _and_ somehow managing to dodge Emmet's precise aim I was knocked out of my impossible thoughts by two hands covering my eyes, making me jump slightly.

"Guess who!" A shrieking voice squeaked in my ear, but yet somehow still managing to sound like music.

"God?"

"Haha." Alice deadpanned, coming to stand in front of me.

"Oh, it's just you." I feigned disappointment, not being able to stop the slow grin spreading on my lips.

She smacked my arm, "you love me," Alice said matter of factly, flashing her pearly whites at me just as something hit the back of my truck, breaking into a thousand little speaks of white fluff around our heads. Both of our heads turned in the direction of the attack, finding all three Cullen boys still at their car, all looking a little _too_ innocent.

"Emmet?" Alice guessed, not turning back to look at me.

"Probably," I agreed, fighting the urge to pick up a bit of snow and throw it back at them, but with the distance between us and my aim it wouldn't even reach half way towards them. Then I linked my arm with hers, holding my folder out to protect us, sneaking a peak at Edward, finding him smashing some snow into Jaspers face, then Emmet crushing some of the white slush into Edward's already damp bronze hair. Despite my hate for the white snow on the ground I was soon realising that Edward Cullen could change my mind about nearly anything, and the way he looked, all red cheeked due to the cold and the hair sticking to his forehead…

"Bella?"

My head snapped back to the pixie at my side, her ink black hair such a contrast to her pale features, "yeah?"

Alice laughed her tinkling laugh, obviously enjoying some sort of inside joke, with herself, "nothing." She grinned at me, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards one of the large buildings in the school grounds. "English awaits."

I groaned, but it quickly turned into a small gasp as I had the wind knocked out of me, _literally_. I took a deep breath, trying to re-inflate my lungs as they seemed to have been knocked from my body.

Looking over my shoulder with what I hoped was a murderous glare I expected to find Emmet-grinning from ear to ear because he'd just winded me with the snowball aimed in between my shoulder blades-so I was pretty surprised to find an Adonis wiping snow from his black gloves, looking like the kid who got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and got away with it.

He grinned at me, looking _exactly_ like a little boy, his grin crooked and he winked.

Wai…what?

Winked?

Edward Cullen just _winked_ at me.

I think I may be having heart failure, I don't think your supposed to be able to hear your heartbeat…

Something was tugging at my arm and Alice's laughter again rang in my ears, and I wasn't really listening, the only sound in my ears was my hammering heart, how could she not hear that? But I did catch something that sounded like '_you have it bad'_, but I couldn't be sure.

…

"Mmm." Nodding my head, half paying attention to Mikes babblings and half concentrating on the doodle I was squiggling onto the deep blue jotter on the desk in front of me. I hated maths, _really, _calculus wasn't one of my strong points, but been sat next to Mike Newton on top of that? Well…

It's not that I don't like Mike, I do, he's really nice, sweet, nice, cute, okay maybe a little _too_ nice sometimes but he was a good friend. And that's all we were. _Friends_.

I just wasn't so sure if Mike knew.

"Ms Swan?"

I looked up, eyes wide. "Hmm?" I cleared my throat. "Yes?"

"Do you have the answer?"

I stared at Mr. McKenzie with a new found feeling of hatred, _eugh_, it was only second period and I'd already been pelted by snowballs, fallen over, _twice_…

Looking over to my left slightly I tried not to laugh as I found Emmet not so subtly holding up three fingers, and then crossing his two pointer fingers into the shape of an _x_.

"3x." I offered, biting my lip as a small chuckled escaped me as Emmet pumped a fist into the air, giving me a thumbs up.

"Thank you, Ms Swan, and Mr Cullen, see me after class." And with that he turned back to the board.

Emmet rolled his eyes, still grinning, I don't think I'd ever seen him without a smile on his face.

I couldn't help but grin back at the curly haired boy.

"You friends?" A voice whispered into my ear.

I jumped a little, making my chair '_squeak'_ on the floor slightly, I'd forgotten all about Mike, I nodded, "sure."

I was sure he wasn't completely happy with my answer but he leaned back in his chair anyway, and didn't speak for the rest of the period.

…

"Bella!"

I turned my head, finding Alice waving at me like a maniac and I rolled my eyes, she did this _every_ day, and each day I reminded her that we sat at that table _everyday, _but still, she insisted on shouting me, as if I'd forgotten where it was.

"Thanks for that, I haven't been embarrassed in front of the _whole_ student body yet today."

"Well now you can check it off your list." She grinned at me, taking a bite from her pizza slice.

"Hilarious." I muttered, a small smile cracking on my lips as she flicked a piece of pepperoni at me.

"What's that?" Alice questioned, pointing to the books I'd just laid onto the table, beside my lunch tray.

"Biology homework." I groaned out the words with distaste. "I was planning on doing it last night but by the time I got home I was exhausted, fell asleep in my clothes." I laughed.

Alice shook her head in amusement, "Maybe you should cut ba-"

I rolled my eyes, cutting her off, "no, I'm fine."

"_Fine_." She picked a bit of cheese from the pizza, dangling it in midair before putting it in her mouth. "You know, usually when people say they're fine, they're not _fine_."

"Hmm." I nodded, pretending to be concentrating on the words in my textbook, but they all seemed to be dancing around on the page, testing my patients.

"Bella, seriously, maybe you should take it back a notch, ask Esme for a little time off…"

I lifted my head when Alice didn't finish, she loved to lecture me, because she was usually right about whatever it was we were arguing over. I followed her line of sight, looking over my shoulder and I felt a small smirk pull up the corner of my mouth, my best friends dark blue eyes were settled on the Cullen table. Or well more specifically, _Jasper Cullen_.

I let my eyes stray on the three boys for a little bit longer, I honestly couldn't blame Alice, they were all gorgeous. There was Emmet, with his huge tree trunk arms, he was all _muscle _and such a little kid, I could hear his booming laugh all the way across the cafeteria. Then there was Jasper, the quiet one with his blonde hair and deep soulful eyes, he had a face any movie star would die for, it was no wonder my best friend had fallen for the Cullen charm. God knows I had.

That's when my eyes moved to the last brother, _Edward_, the reason for the tightening in my chest and the fluttering in my stomach was sitting beside Emmet, laughing at something Jasper had just said which must have been about the curly haired boy as Emmet threw a fry in the blondes direction.

I quickly turned my head away from them only to find Alice's own eyes still staring dreamily at the table.

I _click_ed my fingers in front of her face, making her snap out of her daze.

"You know, you could be jailed in some states for what you were just thinking." I grinned slowly, biting into my own pizza slice.

Alice glared at me, but as she looked back down at her tray a smile crept onto her lips, her two cheeks turning a lovely light shade of red.

_She had it bad_.

…

Gym.

I hated the subject for many reasons.

First, I was naturally clumsy, and giving me anything in the shape of a ball or a racket was dangerous.

Second, I suck at sports, I mean truly, honestly suck, give me a book and ask me to read it within a day, no problem, give my a ball and ask me to put it through a hoop-well lets just say there's a better chance of Santa waking through the school in a bikini.

And third, the Cullen's were now in my class.

Not only did I get to make a fool of myself in front of them at work but now I got to in school as well. God hated me.

But I did get to watch Edward get all sweaty in shorts and a t-shirt…hmm, maybe I should rethink the whole hating gym thing?

"All right, you all know the Christmas dance is in a few weeks and you all know what that means." Coach Clapp grinned at us all and my stomach dropped. "Social dancing! Okay, boys to that side girls on the other. Lets go." He clapped his hands, and I dragged my feet to the left side of the hall, debating the chances of faking a sore stomach and him believing me.

"Boys, pick your partners."

God really did hate me, or just really loved watching me get embarrassed.

"This sucks." I heard someone mumble beside me.

I nodded in agreement, turning to face the tall girl, "amen sister."

Angela laughed quietly, "I thought he said it was boys choice?" I followed her line of sight and couldn't help but roll my eyes, there was Lauren Mallory, standing in front of an uncomfortable looking Edward.

"Eugh, I really don't like her." I muttered.

Angela's dark hair which was tied back into a messy ponytail bobbed as she nodded.

"Bella?"

No, _please_ no.

I smiled politely at Mike as he stood in front of me, a nervous smile on his face. I felt Angela squeeze my hand lightly before she walked off with Ben, who had asked her to dance.

"Would you dance with me?"

My eyes drifted back over to the bronze haired Adonis, and to my surprise I found him looking back at me, not at the blonde bimbo in front of him who I guessed he was dancing with. Ignoring the surge of jealousy I felt curl in my stomach I turned back to Mike with a small smile.

"Sure, Mike." What? It really was nice of him to ask me. Plus, it must have taken some courage as he let out a long sigh of relief.

I subtly ignored the hand he held out for me to take and walked to stand in a space between Angela and Ben and-

"Isabella!"

_Emmett_. I almost groaned out loud.

I narrowed my eyes at him but felt a smirk pull at my lips as I saw who his partner was, but she was currently talking and giggling with Lauren.

"Jessica Stanley?" It's not like I had anything against the girl, it's just that… anyone who was friends with Lauren wasn't exactly on m Christmas card list.

But Emmett, being Emmett simply grinned wider and chuckled, "shut up."

Mike appeared at my side then, his shoulder touching my own.

Emmett's booming laugh echoed in the small gym, turned to face Coach Clapp as he shouted to get our attention and I glared at him, he found that _too_ amusing.

I took a deep breath while Mike and I got into the Waltz position, and while I placed my hand on his shoulder I found Edward's gaze again, his emerald eyes looked darker, almost black against his pale skin and I felt an involuntary shiver run up my spine at the intensity of them.

Did he always have to look so sexy?

_Newton? Seriously? _He mouthed, his face now graced with a smirk instead of the slight frown it was in a few seconds ago.

_Mallory?_ I mouthed back and he scrunched up his nose cutely.

_I had no choice in the matter._

I bit my lip and laughed silently.

_Ditto._

My favourite crooked grin fell onto his lips and he had just opened his mouth to reply when a blast of music came from the boom box situated on the first step of the bleachers and Coach Clapp barked instructions at us.

Mike guided me to the left, in a small circle but I ended up standing on his foot and then proceeded to trip and fall into Angela and Ben.

_Me, plus dancing equals a hazard zone._


	5. Surprises&Questions

Firstly, I'm sorry for the wait, and I don't really have an excuse, except that I got a case of writers block half way through the chapter, well not so much writers block but I lost inspiration. But it's here now(: and I'm still not sure about it, haha. Hopefully I did okay but tell me if it's moving too fast, and I'm also sorry for any mistakes in this chapter because I only read over it a couple of times, and the last couple of scenes I haven't, I just really wanted to get it posted:)

Secondly, I saw the movie and OMMYGOD! I don't care what anyone else says I freakin' LOVED it. That's all I have to say(: so hopefully this chapter makes up for the wait.

_Thank you all so much for reviewing, it makes the rainy days more sunny(:_

**-x-**

**I** felt my breathing hitch as a pair of cold palms ran up the length of my bare stomach, but despite the temperature of the hands I couldn't deny the _heat_. I could feel it surrounding us, feel it rushing through my veins, taste it on his skin.

I gasped as that very sweaty, very cold skin was everywhere at once, caressing, rubbing, stroking. _Uh_, I bit at my bottom lip as a pair of teeth nipped and lick at my collar bone before moving to my neck, the body which they belonged to hovering over mine, caging me in.

But I wasn't scared, oh no, I wanted this, wanted _him_.

My hands wrapped around his biceps which were on either side of my head and I found myself throwing it back into the pillows as his teeth sunk into my neck, making me call out his name.

_Edward._

It was then I knew I was dreaming because there was no way someone as beautiful as Edward Cullen would be here with me. Plus I didn't even know where _here_ was. Just that I was there, and so was he. Together. Time seemed non existent, there was no one else in the world, just _us_.

And God, it felt right.

One of my hands ran up his arm, over his shoulder and into his brown locks, the reddish tint it usually held seemingly nonexistent as I ran my fingers through it in the darkness which encased us.

_Bella._

If I thought I couldn't breath before it was just intensified as my name rolled from his tongue, his usually soft voice unusually husky, like rough velvet.

I moaned quietly as he kissed the corner of my jaw, slowly working his way to my mouth, over my cheek which I could only imagine was coloured a deep red. He repeated my name again as his mouth hovered over my own, I could feel his breath on my chapped lips.

I slowly opened my eyes again, my lungs collapsing and my heart taking it's last stuttering _thump_ as I was met with his own pair of unusually black pools, a burning desire lying behind his thick lashes.

The moment was suddenly gone as he pulled back, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me roughly, once.

"Bella."

I woke up then, taking in a deep, shocked breath, I wasn't sure if my lungs were still capable of use.

My eyes instantly snapped shut, having not had the chance to get used to the bright morning glare, which wasn't even a glare, really, the grey sky was just a little lighter. That just shows I've been living in Forks too long, I thought, pulling the duvet back over my head.

"Bells!"

"Dad." I replied, a lot less chipper than he obviously was this morning.

"Come on, time to get up." His voice was way too…_awake, _and was he slightly, giddy?

I peaked over the top of my covers to see if I had it right and there it was, that crinkly eyed smile lit up his face.

Lolling my head to the side I groaned out loud, "I have another hour before I have to get up, go _away_." I mumbled, about to roll over and ignore him and by the time I realised I was already at the very edge of my bed it was too late.

I was sprawled on the floor, duvet and all.

Locking my jaw I grumbled a few profanities as I stood up, my eyes still half shut. "I'm up, I'm up." I muttered, choosing to ignore the chuckles I could hear from Charlie's direction.

Despite having had me live with him for the past two years he still never could quite remember that I was not a morning person.

I grabbed the hem of my tank top, pulling around as it had gotten twisted when I'd rolled from my bed onto the floor.

"_Why_ am I up, and _why_ are you so happy?"

Charlie's grin grew, "well I have a surprise for you."

"I hate surprises." Especially at six in the morning.

I seriously thought his smile was going to reach his ears.

"Well I think you'll like this one." He argued, "now remember how it was your birthday in September?"

"Well yes, it was-as you just pointed out, _my_ birthday."

Charlie ignored the sarcasm, "well, I felt bad about not getting you anything-" I was about to argue that I had ask him not to get me anything but he was too excited to notice, "so…" he rushed out of my room, a slight bounce to his steps.

I seriously had no idea what it was.

Until I heard a small yelp. An adorable little noise which I guessed came from the small ball of fluff that was curled into Charlie's chest as he walked back into my room.

Despite my bad mood I couldn't help but notice that it was, much like the noise it made, _adorable. _

"Is that…" I had to clear my throat, "is that a _puppy_?"

"Yeah." Charlie looked like he was high as his head bobbed up and down at an amazing speed.

"You got me a puppy." I spoke silently, eyeing the small creature in my fathers hands.

"You don't like it?" He asked, a frown ceasing his face for the first time since he'd entered my room.

"No." I said and found myself walking towards him and the tiny brown fluff ball, which lifted it's head and looked at me with a pair of golden eyes and I felt my heart melt. _Aww_. "Cute." I murmured, fighting the urge to pick it up and take it back into my bed with me.

"Well it's yours." Charlie's grin was back in full force as he handed it to me.

I scrambled to hold it properly, I dropped _a_ _lot_ of things but this was one thing I definitely did _not_ want to drop.

"Why?" I asked, a small smile creeping onto my lips as the puppy looked up at me, analysing the new face he'd just met.

"Well," Charlie began, clearing his throat, "I feel bad about having to leave you alone all of the time, plus it's only three weeks until Christmas, so think of it as an early present."

"Dad, you have to work, plus I don't mind being alone, I wonder where I got that from." I smiled playfully at him, remembering having this same conversation the first week I moved in, _without_ the puppy in my arms.

"I know," he smiled sheepishly, "but it doesn't make it any better." Was his conclusion. "So I got him for you," Charlie rubbed the dog's little ear, an adoring smile on his face, "I was coming home from work yesterday and I passed a little cottage and this woman had a puppy's for sale sign on her post box so I thought what the hell and when I went in he was the only one left. "He chuckled, "so I went back early this morning and got him for you. He's almost house trained, and the woman said it would be okay for him to be alone when you went to school, and there's a few things in the kitchen for him but you'll probably have to go shopping this weekend. Maybe you should phone Alice?" He chuckled.

I smiled at my dad, feeling my heart constrict a little in my chest, he really did feel bad about leaving me alone all the time, and I knew it was hard for him to share his feelings with me, Charlie and I… weren't exactly a _'share the love' _type of father and daughter. But I found myself standing on my tiptoes and wrapping my free arm around his neck.

"Thanks, dad." I whispered into his shoulder before standing back on the heels of my feet.

Charlie nodded, looking slightly abashed as he cleared his throat, uncomfortably.

I bit back a chuckle as he mumbled something about been late for work and stumbled his way out of my room.

I laughed then, quietly, and with a sigh lifted the puppy un in front of my face, my hands wrapped around his little tubby belly. "I guess it's just me and you, kid."

…

"I cant believe it." Alice thought aloud, for the hundredth time since we'd arrived at school this morning. "A _puppy_!" she giggled, all wind chimes and harp strings been strung.

"Yeah." I smiled, already falling head over heels for the little fluff ball, but found the corners of my lips drop a little as I remembered the look on his face when I had left for school.

Alice hugged her books tighter to her chest, her teeth on full display as she stretched her lips, "he's just so _cute_."

"Thanks Alice, I didn't know you thought about me that way. I'm flattered."

We both rolled our eyes at the husky voice.

"So what're you going to name him?" Alice continued, ignoring third party member walking along beside her.

"Name who?"

"My dog." I explained, I almost laughed, _me_, with a _dog_.

"Oh, I know." My pixie best friend grinned evilly, cutting her eyes at the boy at her side, "how about _Jacob_." She glared, "or Jake, either works."

"That _hurt_ Ali, really." Jacob grinned, his russet skin stretching as his smile widened.

"No I like Jake, actually." I admitted, entertained but not surprised by their squabbling.

It was an odd group, the three of us, but it worked. In a weird, wonderful way.

Jacob's smile never faltered, "when'd you get a dog?"

"This morning."

"Wow, steal it?"

"Now that would be telling."

He chuckled, a deep throaty sound.

"Where were you last night?" Alice spoke up as she pulled books from her locker, "I thought you wanted my help on that History essay?" She questioned, having to tilt her head back to see his face. It was quite a funny sight, tiny Alice and giant Jacob.

He smiled sheepishly, a light red forming under his dark skin, "I kinda, had a date." He cleared his throat.

"A _date_?" I grinned, "with who?"

"Now that would be telling." He quoted me, tapping his nose and all.

"Yes it would, and I would love to be told." Alice shut her locker turning to face him, bouncing on her toes with excitement.

Jake opened his mouth, probably with another _witty_ comeback but the bell rang and he grinned at us, with a nod and a murmured '_ladies'_ he began to walk down the hall.

"He cant run from me, I have class with him next." Alice grinned at me, and danced after him.

I laughed to myself, ignoring the stares of people around me as I walked in the opposite direction, my mind instantly occupied with the reason why I had to take a cold shower this morning, _Edward Cullen_.

…

Barney. _Barney_. I ran the name around in my head, it was cute, but I couldn't really picture myself running after a puppy and shouting it out loud.

I sighed, doodling a rather lopsided drawing onto the folder in front of me and as I added ears I realized it looked more like a monkey than a dog. _Monkey_.

"Bella?" I turned my head to the side, a reflex action to hearing my name, and found Mike staring at me expectantly.

"Yeah?"

He looked a little embarrassed, actually, "I asked you if you had any plans for the weekend?"

Oh! So he did. "Oh, yeah, sorry." I smiled sheepishly, "not really." I shrugged, going back to my doodle.

"Alright, everyone find your seats." Mr. Banner clapped his hands as he walked in, I smiled at Mike as he walked back to his desk, but sighed a little with relief as he did.

"Okay, so today we're-" he stopped his announcement as someone walked into class and I felt my heart speed up but I ignored it, I was getting used to my body overreacting whenever I saw that flash of bronze hair. "Late, Mr. Cullen."

Edward simply shrugged slightly, taking his seat next to me, brushing my leg with his as he did so, putting my poor heart into a frenzy.

I tried to listen to Mr. Banner, I honestly did but my all I could hear was the sounds the boy next to me was making, every time he exhaled or inhaled I felt another piece of my sanity washing away. He was driving me _crazy_ and he didn't even know it.

"So I guess we better get started." All velvet, I heard Edward's voice.

"Hmm?" Was he speaking to me?

"On the questions." He explained, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Oh. Right. Yeah." I babbled. Idiot.

Edward chuckled slightly, opening the book in front of us, when had that gotten there?

I opened my jotter, writing down the date and the title of the chapter in my messy scrawl.

**EPOV**

"So, are you working tonight?" I questioned the brunette beside me, the pen in my hand tapping mindlessly onto the wooden desk.

Bella looked up at me, her eyes slightly wide and she cleared her throat. "No."

I nodded my head as if this was news to me, but it wasn't. Of _course_ it wasn't. I had checked this morning if she was, and had felt disappointment flood through me when I saw a blank space on the rota where I was hoping her name would be.

Like the sick stalker I was turning into.

The one _she_ was turning me into.

Bella Swan.

The reason I had to have a cold shower this morning, and every other morning as a matter of fact.

She was turning me into a pansy, as well. The other night at the café I had caught myself staring at her hair, and marvelling in what it would feel like to run my fingers through it, to have it sprawled across my pillows as I-

"What about you? Any plans for the weekend?"

I shook my head, swallowing as I fought away the image that had filled my mind.

"None." I managed to get the word through my lips despite the fact that my throat felt as though it had closed up, the breeze that had softly blown by sending a single tendril of her hair towards me, the strawberry scent making my vision blur slightly. God, what I'd give to _taste_ her.

_Stop it! _I reprimanded myself, I could _not_ have thoughts like that about Bella, it wasn't right.

But that didn't mean I could help it.

…

**BPOV**

We talked the whole way through Biology and I swear I was in heaven, I even think I saw a pig flying outside the window. And with every word he had spoken in that deep, sexy voice of his I'd felt myself falling deeper and deeper into like with him. I really liked him, _really, really_.

And even now, as I stood in Gym with Mike holding me in the Waltz position, and as I stood on his toes whenever we went moved I couldn't wipe the smile of my face.

And it had nothing to do with the reason that Edward Cullen didn't have a date to the Christmas dance. Not that I would have been jealous, I wasn't even going anyway. But it just made me feel a little better about myself, even though obviously some people had asked him. I mean look at the boy! He's a friggin Greek God.

And kind of intimidating.

But I'd managed to hold a whole conversation with him, only making an idiot of myself a few of times. Stuttering over my words and such. Never had I felt this… content? Satisfied? After talking to someone. _Ever_. It was slightly unnerving.

"Oomph."

"Sorry, Mike."

I had to give it to Mike, he danced with me even though every week he left PE with the bruises I'd given him the week before re-bruised.

He smiled at me though, shaking it off as if it was nothing.

Coach Clapp stopped the music, his voice echoing in the small hall. "Okay so now we're going to try moving on, going from partner to partner." He was answered with groans, and I could have swore he shot a slightly worried glance at me but I couldn't blame him, he was going to let me loose on every boy in the gym. God help them.

I suddenly felt sick, my stomach doing summersaults and I considered asking to go to the nurse but the music had already re-started and we were dancing. Well not really dancing per-se. More like stumbling, tripping… but it wasn't just me, I looked over at Angela and Ben, and Ben was struggling to twirl the much taller girl, leading the them both falling over each other. But then I made the mistake of looking two couples ahead of us at Edward, who was now having to dance with Jessica Stanley. He was graceful, which was surprising for his height, but he was lean. I could see his muscles ripple through his white-shirt, his legs were bare from the knee down, his shorts to thank for that.

Phoawr.

"Oh, Tyler, sorry!" I squeaked out as I was spun from Ryan's arms-a boy in my English class-to his, ending up running into his chest, knocking the wind from him.

"S'okay." He wheezed out, catching his breath.

"I should not be allowed near people. Ever." I told him, as we tried to catch up with everyone else.

Tyler chuckled, still a little breathless as we waltzed, "you're not so bad."

I gave him a '_who're you trying to kid' _look and he shrugged sheepishly, grinning before spinning me off in the direction of my next victim. But instead of stumbling into him I was swept off my feet. Literally.

Two large hands found my waist before catching my right hand in his and my left found his shoulder, his other still clutching my waist. And I felt my whole body heat up before I'd even looked up at his face.

"Having fun?" I heard the grin in his voice and looked up at him, narrowing my eyes, but that was a mistake because I was instantly dazzled by the green pools, shining with amusement.

"What do you think?" I grumbled back, trying not to step on his toes as we turned.

"I think you should go out with me on Saturday."

Whoa.

Hold up.

_Breathe_.

Is the room tipping slightly?

Breathe!

I filled my lungs with air, but it didn't help as much as it should as the small amount of distance between us mean it was filled with his scent, and now so was my head.

"W-what?" I stuttered out, mildly aware of the couples around us changing partners but Edward kept me in his hold. Not that I would have wanted to leave, anyway.

"Umm." He looked slightly surprised by his own question and I instantly felt disappointment sweep through me, he was going to take it back, say it was a mistake, a slip of the tongue-

"I was wondering, if you would accompany me to dinner on Saturday night?" He sounded slightly nervous, what reasons did he have to be nervous?

_Swoon_.

I heard someone clear their throat but I couldn't take my eyes away from his face, it wouldn't matter if we were in a burning room, flames licking at every square inch of it, I could not tare my eyes away from his.

"Okay." I heard myself say quietly, and I heard him release a sigh. Of relief? I don't know.

All I know was that I, Isabella Swan had a date with Edward Cullen.

_Oh my freakin' God._


End file.
